BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin Distillery Recognized by Wildlife Habitat Council for Excellence in Corporate Conservation
HAMILTON, Bermuda, June 17, 2024 /3BL/ - The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) has recognized family-owned spirits company Bacardi with an award for its work to protect the river running through its BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin distillery.
The site in Hampshire, England was one of the top-scoring initiatives from across the globe, earning the Wetlands and Water Bodies award at this year’s WHC Conservation Conference held in New Orleans. The accolade is presented to a high-scoring project that both collects and evaluates monitoring data to inform the next steps in its corporate wetland conservation efforts.
Recognizing and celebrating excellence in corporate conservation, this follows the distillery’s WHC Silver Certification in September 2023, which saw it become the first spirits production site in the UK to hold the certification.
The Bacardi team invests in conservation work to support local wildlife and biodiversity around the home of its BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin. On the banks of the River Test – an area which has held Site of Special Scientific Interest status since 1991 – wildflowers have been planted and fish and eel passes have also been constructed to allow for greater movement of river life.
In addition, the distillery is part of a nationwide program called the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, which engages a local community of volunteers from the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme to monitor the river’s invertebrates. This study provides invaluable insight into the health of the river, helping to track and monitor any changes over time.
“At Bacardi, protecting the environment and wildlife surrounding our production sites is not a choice, it’s a must,” says Rodolfo Nervi, VP, Safety, Quality & Sustainability, Bacardi. “We’re incredibly proud to win this award as we continue in our commitment to do the right thing by people and planet.”
“WHC is proud to honor the Bacardi-owned BOMBAY SAPPHIRE site with the Wetlands and Water Bodies Award,” said Margaret O’Gorman, WHC President. “This award not only recognizes Bacardi for its achievements, but it also serves as an example of the actions taken by the private sector to support biodiversity around the world.”
The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery joins other sites from the company’s portfolio in securing the WHC certification. Both Bacardi in Puerto Rico, which is the largest premium rum distillery in the world and the home of the world’s most awarded rum BACARDĺ, and the Bacardi Bottling Corporation site in Jacksonville, Florida, have previously earned WHC certifications.
Find out more about Bacardi and its ESG – Environmental, Social & Governance – commitments, including its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, at www.bacardilimited.com/good-spirited.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Phillippa Williams, Communications Director – pholmes@bacardi.com
Always drink responsibly.
About Bacardi
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur and ERISTOFF® vodka. Founded more than 162 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 9,000, operates production facilities in 11 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.
About Wildlife Habitat Council
WHC (Wildlife Habitat Council) has been working at the nexus of business and biodiversity for 35 years and is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC builds strategies and frameworks for companies to integrate nature with climate, equity and engagement to support sustainable ecosystems and healthy communities. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations. WHC-certified programs can be found in 19 countries and 48 U.S. states. Learn more at www.wildlifehc.org.
